Verizon Wireless Review

The nation's largest wireless carrier, Verizon Wireless stands out for their fast, reliable network and large selection of prepaid plans. Though they have relatively limited phone options, that shouldn't be enough to deter you from exploring their high-quality service.

The Good

Large, reliable network

Verizon is well known for having one of the largest nationwide networks around. They also have extensive 4G LTE coverage, which is great news if you spend a fair amount of time accessing the Internet from your phone. Choosing a company with a large network and reliable coverage is important, particularly if you travel a lot, because your prepaid phone isn’t any good to you if you don’t get service in the area where you need it. This shouldn’t be a problem for Verizon customers, though they do charge extra if you travel outside your home coverage area.

Option to pay as you go

If you don’t want to commit to paying for a month of service upfront, one of Verizon’s daily or per-minute pay-as-you-go plans may be what you’re looking for. There are a few different options, so you can decide which fits your needs and budget the best. The daily plans have an access fee you need to pay each day, but it’s very low and shouldn’t have a major impact on your budget. The per-minute pay-as-you-go plan doesn’t have an access fee, but rates are a little higher than with the daily plans, which start at $0.25 per minute. The right plan for you depends largely on your usage habits, so consider that carefully before making your decision.

Unlimited nights and weekends

Customers on one of Verizon Wireless’ monthly plans receive unlimited night and weekend minutes regardless of how many anytime minutes are left on the account. This is rare among prepaid phone companies and is especially valuable to those customers whose monthly plan isn’t unlimited. Night hours run from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and weekend hours include all of Saturday and Sunday. During these times, you can make as many calls as you wish without having to worry about exceeding your plan’s limits and being charged extra.

Easily manage your account online

Once you set up your Verizon account, you can check your available minutes, change your plan, and pay your bill quickly and easily. From here, you can also enroll in Verizon’s auto-refill program by signing up and registering a credit card with them. Then, every month, your card is charged for the amount of your plan so you don’t have to worry about remembering to pay. If you’re not near a computer, you can always download the My Verizon mobile app and manage your account from your smartphone as well.

Refill your account from anywhere

Verizon, like other prepaid phone companies, enables their customers to pay by enrolling in the auto-refill program or making a one-time payment. There are several ways to make a single payment. You can use a credit or debit card to make the payment online or from your cell phone, or you can visit a Verizon store. Certain retailers also sell prepaid airtime cards, which you can add to your account online or from your phone.

The Bad

Few prepaid phone choices

Compared to some of their competitors, Verizon has a very small selection of phones available for use with their prepaid plans. There are a few Android smartphones and a handful of basic phones to choose from, but options are pretty limited if you’re looking for a new phone. If you’re happy with your old phone, though, Verizon could still work for you since they let you connect to their services with any compatible device you already own.

Roaming costs

Verizon is one of the few prepaid phone companies that charges their customers for domestic roaming. Most other providers don’t charge you for roaming unless you’re out of the country. If you do end up going off of Verizon’s network, you’re charged $0.20 for every minute you spend on the phone. While this is something to be aware of, it shouldn’t be a huge issue. Verizon has a very large network so the chances of roaming aren’t too high, particularly if you stay mostly in your home coverage area.

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